Malaysiakini likely to face the ‘wrath’ of PM-in-Waiting

Look like Steven Gan and company at Malaysiakini is heading for head on collision with pm-in-waiting Najib. They alleged the online news portal for publishing false report. Here is what NST said today:

A concerted effort is being made by some websites to publish false reports to discredit Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is poised to take over as Umno president, the deputy prime minister’s office said in a statement made available to the New Straits Times last night.

It added that ever since the Umno transition plan was brought forward to March next year, there had been a continuous effort by these websites to concoct and publish malicious reports aimed at tarnishing the image of the Umno presidential candidate.

The office was commenting on Internet news portal Malaysiakini’s move to publish an email purportedly from a “Najib Support Group”, which contained a “manifesto” supposedly linked to the deputy prime minister that could put him in a bad light.

Najib’s office denied any manifesto had been issued in his bid for the Umno presidency.

“This false story is the latest move in what is obviously a concerted effort by certain quarters to tarnish the image of the deputy prime minister.”

The Malaysiakini report claimed that the deputy prime minister had stated in the “manifesto” that he would “defend the supremacy of the Malays until the last drop of his blood if he won the mandate of the delegates to become the next Umno president”.

The news portal also published Najib’s so-called promise to “set up a Council of Presidential Advisers to be made up of Umno elders and past prime ministers” saying this was giving basis to speculation that former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was making a comeback.

The “manifesto” mentioned in the report covered a wide range of topics, including his vision for Umno and Barisan Nasional, and referred to various other allegations, including the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu and Malaysia Today articles that suggested he practised Hindu rituals.

Also included was the string of text message exchanges purportedly between him and lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

It also quoted Najib defending the Eurocopter helicopter contract, which the opposition and other defence contractors had criticised and his promise that his family would not participate in business.

Najib’s office said the Malaysiakini report was false and misleading and their decision to publish the story was “extremely unethical” as they had failed to verify the matter with Najib’s office prior to publication.

“The conduct of Malaysiakini is regrettable and unacceptable.” It said the news portal had since apologised to Najib over the matter.